Sports ramblings…with a Yankees bias!

TheYankee Hit King…

He did it.He is the Yankees all-time hit leader.Of course, he is only 1,500 hits behind Pete Rose…

Bill Kostroun/AP

Derek Jeter finally broke Lou Gehrig’s club record for career hits with his 2,722nd hit in the 3rd inning of tonight’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.

George Steinbrenner issued a very classy statement:

“For those who say today’s game can’t produce legendary players, I have two words: Derek Jeter. Game in and game out he just produces.As historic and significant as becoming the Yankees’ all-time hit leader is, the accomplishment is all the more impressive because Derek is one of the finest young men playing the game today.

From ESPN, this is an impressive list:

Player

Hits

Derek Jeter

2,723

Lou Gehrig

2,721

Babe Ruth

2,518

Mickey Mantle

2,415

Bernie Williams

2,336

Joe DiMaggio

2,214

Don Mattingly

2,153

Yogi Berra

2,148

Obviously, there is always the question of how many hits Lou Gehrig would have had only if…

But there are two names that also stand out on the ‘only if’ list.Mickey Mantle.What if he had avoided alcohol and the knee problems?Don Mattingly.What if he hadn’t encountered the back problems?It is so tough to get where Derek Jeter is, so tonight belongs to him.

Frank Franklin II/AP

If Derek had played in 1927, starting shortstop Mark Koenig probably would have been in Boston!Julia, the Red Sox lost 103 games that year.J

On a day where the NBA elected its greatest player ever to the Hall of Fame, the Yankees have two guys guaranteed for Cooperstown…DJ and Mariano Rivera.Sorry A-Rod, you’ll get there, but it will take some time…

The games involving both the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers were postponed, so the Wild Card chase is suspended for a night.

As for the Yankees game, they are trailing the Baltimore Orioles, 10-4, in the 7th inning but the game is delayed.Nevertheless, I will chalk this one up the loss column, so the Red Sox will pick up a ½ game despite their inactivity.

Matt Campbell/European Pressphoto Agency

Speaking of Jeter, I do think that the Yankees need to do what’s right and lock him up for the remainder of his career.He has a chance to be the first Yankee to reach 3,000 hits in pinstripes…and it should be in pinstripes.I like the fact that you can think of players like Carl Yastrzemski or Cal Ripken and you can only associate them with one team.It should be the same with DJ.How awful would it be to see DJ playing short for the Los Angeles Dodgers?C’mon Hal, loosen up the purse strings and do what’s right…

For my usual off-topic Vikings talk (c’mon, I don’t write a Vikings blog…give me a break!), I’d like to address the Vikings’ cut of WR Bobby Wade.Wade, who recently cut his salary in half in an effort to remain with the team AND who was the leading receiver for the past two seasons, met the wrong end of the blade this week.Coach Brad Childress, who I am not a big fan of, decided that former Philadelphia Eagles WR Greg Lewis was a better fit.Childress was familiar with Lewis from his Philly days, however, if you compare each player side-by-side, Wade wins.Plus, Wade was a solid clubhouse guy.ESPN was quick to report that if the Vikings win, all will be forgotten.However, why would you mess with team chemistry right when the season is getting ready to begin?It makes no sense to me.Hopefully, Childress proves me wrong and Lewis proves to be the superior player.

John Bohn/Boston Globe

Also, a federal appeals court cleared the way for the Williams duo (Kevin and Pat) to play all season long despite the league’s attempt to suspend them for alleged drug use.That is good news for the Vikings defense.I expect this team to not only make the play-offs, but to win.They may not make the Super Bowl, but they should have a voice in deciding who goes.I would love for Brett Favre to end his career with a Super Bowl championship (that really feels weird typing that!), so we’ll see what happens.All things considered, I am okay with Purple Cheeseheads…

Congrats to Michael Jordan.We have been privileged to witness his greatness…

4 Comments

Thanks for the little history lesson Scott… ;-) You are correct – players like Yaz & Ripken & Jeter, we associate them with one team and in Jeter’s case, the Yankees need to do the right thing and tie him up for the rest of his career. Whatever his final numbers might be, they should come while wearing pinstripes. And you were also correct – we did pick up a half game!

I will also go off topic with you – what is wrong with our football teams that they have to make these “questionable” changes just before the season opens?? Your guys cut Wade and my guys trade Richard Seymour! Teams are about chemistry and messing with that chemistry as the season starts just feels wrong. Did you see that the NFL is investigating the NY Jets for possibly lying about the extent of Favre’s injury last season? Couldn’t happen to a “nicer” team! lol! And Michael Jordan? You and I were privileged not only to see him play but also Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Magic Johnson and Dr. J. And too many other greats from those eras to name. I think I loved basketball more then….

IF we can get a game in today (and I am not sure about that) here’s to picking up some more ground on the Yankees! Go Orioles! ;-)

I bet Cashman was doing the numbers during the game last night (it sure wasn’t fun to watch once the record was broken) and the Yankees will make Jeter a Yankee for life. He doesn’t want to leave. They’ll figure it out. This isn’t Bernie Williams we’re talking about, although Bernie has done so well for himself as a musician. Even if Jeter has to finish out his career as the traveling secretary, he’ll be doing it in pinstripes!

Congrats to Jeet! He better be a Yankee for life!
Off topic here…but heard that the Sharks just got a new forward. :) Hope that he can help…’cause he wouldn’ve done diddle for the Senators this year.
Ginnyhttp://watercooler.mlblogs.com

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